Saturday Morning Sports – Storm Fall in Game One of WCF, Loper Softball Loses to Rogers; Faces Emporia in MIAA Elimination Game, Kearney Baseball Battles A-6 Tournament, Husker Baseball Wins, Nebraska Softball Shut Out, Local Sports Schedule

STORM FALL AT HOME IN GAME 1 OF WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

The Tri-City Storm dropped the opening game of the 2022 Western Conference Finals series against the Sioux City Musketeers by a final score of 5-4 Friday night at the Viaero Center. 

The Storm surrendered the game-winning goal in the final five seconds of the 3rd period to fall behind 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

The Storm will host Game #2 of the 2022 Western Conference Finals at the Viaero Center tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:05pm CT.

UNK SOFTBALL FALLS TO ROGERS STATE; BATTLES EMPORIA TODAY: 

Senior Andrea Morales, the MIAA Pitcher of the Year, stymied Nebraska-Kearney again to help sixth-ranked Rogers State take a winner’s bracket game over the Lopers, 9-0 (5 innings), in the MIAA Tournament Friday night in Edmond, Okla.

Seventh-seed UNK (24-26) faces eighth-seeded Emporia State (25-29) Saturday at 10 a.m. in an elimination game. A win over the Hornets, who Kearney split with this year, would mean a game at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of Central Oklahoma/Missouri Western.

KEARNEY BASEBALL SEEDED #2 IN A-6 DISTRICT TOURNEY:

The Kearney Baseball team knows when and where they will be heading to battle for a chance to punch their ticket to the state tournament. The Bearcats finished the regular season as the #7 team overall in Class A powerpoints, delegating them to the A-6 District as a #2 seed. 

Kearney will face #3 Lincoln North Star on Saturday, May 7 at 1:30 PM from Lincoln’s Sherman Field in the A-6 District semifinal. If the Bearcats win, they will take on the winner of the Lincoln Southeast and Columbus or Omaha Benson contest on Saturday morning. 

Pregame on KGFW will begin at 1:30 PM. 

HUSKER BASEBALL DOMINATES MINNESOTA:

Nebraska opened this weekend’s series at Minnesota with a 12-5 win over the Golden Gophers on Friday night at Siebert Field in Minneapolis.

The Huskers (19-25, 7-9 Big Ten) scored 12 runs on 14 hits and an error, while Minnesota (12-31, 2-14 Big Ten) had five runs on 10 hits and an error.

Nebraska and Minnesota continue the series tonight at Siebert Field. First pitch between the Huskers and Golden Gophers is set for 6 p.m.

NEBRASKA SOFTBALL HELD SCORELESS IN LOSS:

The Nebraska softball team was held scoreless for just the third time this season as Indiana claimed game one, 5-0. The Huskers fell to 35-14 on the season and 15-5 in the Big Ten while the Hoosiers moved to 27-19 and 10-11 in league play.

Olivia Ferrell pitched the complete game, striking out five while giving up nine hits.

The Huskers return to action tomorrow, May 7, for game two of the three-game series against Indiana. The game is set to start at 4 p.m. 

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES:

FRIDAY RESULTS:

Philadelphia 76ers 99 – 79 Miami Heat (MIA 2-1)

Dallas Mavericks 103 – 94 Phoenix Suns (2-1)

SATURDAY SCHEDULE:

Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks – 2:30 PM (Tied 1-1)

Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors – 7:30 PM (Tied 1-1)

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Dual v. Norfolk @ Harmon Park
    • KHS 9-0
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament v. Rogers State
    • RSU 9-0

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • DISTRICT BASEBALL: A-6 Tournament v. Lincoln North Star – 1:30 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 1:30 PM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Lincoln Invite – 8:30 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • DISTRICT BASEBALL: A-6 Tournament v. Lincoln North Star – 1:30 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW at 1:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: B-3 District Final @ Bennington – 11 AM
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Centennial Conference – 10 AM
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament v. Emporia State *ELIMINATION GAME* – 10 AM
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ GPAC Championships @ Doane